GPSU wants Government to only administer WHO-approved vaccines

More than three months after the Government launched a vaccination drive against COVID-19, the Guyana Public Service Union today issued a call on the Government to suspend the use of any vaccine that has not been granted approval by the World Health Organisation.

Guyana is currently administering the Astrazeneca, Sinopharm and Sputnik V coronavirus vaccines.

Of the three, the only one still awaiting WHO approval, is the Russian made Sputnik vaccine. Guyana has purchased more than 400,000 doses of the vaccine and continues to move ahead with its vaccination drive using the vaccine.

During a press conference today, GPSU President Patrick Yarde said while the union applauds the efforts being made to contain the virus, it strongly believes that vaccines that are not WHO-approved ought not to be administered locally.

“The union fully supports the procurement and distribution of WHO-approved vaccines, it is is confined to WHO-approved vaccines to all Guyanese and this must be voluntarily done”, GPSU President Patrick Yarde said.

He said many workers in the public service have expressed their concerns about being vaccinated with vaccines that are not WHO-approved.

The vaccination against COVID-19 is not mandatory. However, there have been complaints about some companies forcing staff to get vaccinated.

The GPSU believes that the Government needs to also look at the situation in the workplaces of public servants as the COVID-19 numbers in Guyana continue to rise.

Yarde said physical distancing must be done in the workplaces and additional attention should be paid to enforcing the COVID-19 guidelines.

The GPSU is one of the largest trade unions in Guyana. The Union President said the union has made several efforts to meet with the National COVID-19 Task Force as a national stakeholder, but none of its requests have been granted.